2030

There is one significance I always attach to 2030 i.e. 8.30 PM. It stems from the 8.30 PM of one chilly night of March 2005. A whole train of events took place on that day after 6 PM. Here it goes…

Venue: Nagarkovil Bus Stand
Time: 5.45 PM
Day: Saturday

"So, is there no other go?" I asked the indifferent time-keeper for the tenth time. He said, "No". That meant that I (and my gang) have to wait for another 30 minutes to catch the bus to Tiruvattar. I cannot wait anymore because of the anxiety that was getting built up in my mind. The only concern of mine was that I have to come all the way to this place to visit Tiruvattar if we were to miss it this time. All the other divyadesams (except Thirukkurungudi, Nanguneri and Thiruthangal) have been covered. The left out three were for the next-day's business. All set to a plan to catch Podhigai at Srivilliputtur on Sunday. I pushed the minutes-hand of the clock to see whether it is 6.15. It was taking its own time to reach that mark – The bus then came at 6.10. Happy to see a bus that had the board I am looking for – Kulasekaram. I got into the empty bus to see that it got started only at 6.40. It took the picturesque Nagarkovil – Thiruvanathapuram main road (NH-47) on its way at the beginning. It was all okay until it reached Thakkalai.It was there the panic started. It branched off to a hilly road and was then climbing hills passing through the Padmanabhapuram palace on the way. It was getting darker every minute and the bus was heading towards somewhere in Gujarat or Rajasthan!

Tiruvattar is a temple in Tamilnadu that follows Kerala tradition in every aspect – from architecture to day-to-day activities. I was pretty sure that when temples are generally closed for sEvai by 8 PM, these temples would be closed a bit before. As usual, things were not going smooth inside the bus – people were concerned about where to stay because chances of having a hotel in Tiruvattar were very remote. I sat alone in a three-seater with my bag beside me…thinking of only one thing – Will that happen? Will I see Him? Or will he shut His doors bang on the face like how he did to Thirumangai Azhwar at Indhalur? My mind then justified Azhwars ten pasurams (nummai thozhudhOm…) that scold Him for having His doors shut – not allowing a fellow traveller in.

The bus seemed to have crossed all the villages and towns in Kanniyakumari district by 7.30 PM. We reached a hilly town called 'vErkiLambi' at 7.40. The bus then took a sharp left turn into what seemed like a main road. It picked up speed (so did the clock in my wrist and the clock in my mind) and cruised along the main road – milestones of that state highway had the countdown for Tiruvattar. It was 7.58 when the bus finally jolted and came to a halt at Tiruvattar Bus Stand. I checked for the road leading to the temple. My friend and I ran through the road leaving the rest of the gang behind! We took the 'right' right turn at the end of a road, only to find that it was climbing uphill!! A store-keeper at the solitary way-side store gave a cry in Malayalam, which I bet, resembled like, "the temple is closed, don’t run!" 8.02

Adding to the woes, the temple complex was on a small hillock. We had to climb a plight of stairs to reach the main entrance. Enthusiasm has spared none…We were stopped at the door by a keeper who asked us to remove our shirts and deposit our bags with him. That was done in a flash of a second. The temple was different from the normal Tamilnadu temples that I have seen – it took sometime for me to locate the Perumal sannidhi. 8.05. I convinced myself that I had entered the temple – this will count as visiting a divyadesam, at least technically! 8.10

The pOthi swami of the temple (bhattar) asked us the stay clear of the prakaram as the daily ritual of SrivEli was about to take place. I later understood that having sEvai of the SrivEli was the highlight of a trip to any Kerala based temple! 8.20. The bhattar then inquired us about the visit – he also told that we were technically late as the temple was officially closed for the day. He then gave us a (brilliant) idea that they would be actually opening the doors of the garbagraham to take the SrivEli vigraham back to the sannidhi. Another bhattar objected to this idea. 8.25. He was right – normally people are not allowed after the doors are closed. Then the first bhattar spoke in Malayalam that I understood every bit of it, "paavam ivaa vErkiLambi vazhiyaa vandhirukka! ivALukkellaam idhu divyadesamaakkum! ivaaLa sEvikka vittaa namakku puNNiyamakkum!" He then took us all into the main prakaram / sannidhi, opened the sannidhi doors and we had an excellent sEvai…No words can explain the beauty of 20' Perumal reclining from right to left (opposite – like YadhOkthakaari) with a lotus flower in His hand, so big that we can see Him only through three doors like Thiruvananthapuram. His left hand which He was stretching freely, sure, gave a message, "I am here for devotees!". We were then offered Perumal prasadams – sandanam and flowers. 8.30. An unforgettable 8.30 in my life – the one that gave a bonus darshan in a Kerala-type temple.

This 8.30 reinstated the fact in me that a patient and calm mind waiting, deserving and yearning for the right thing will definitely reap its rewards at the right moment. A Magical 8.30 (2030).